


Jack and the Fountain of Tears

by LordKaiserthe1st



Category: Samurai Jack (Cartoon), Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Crossover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-14
Updated: 2019-01-14
Packaged: 2019-10-10 01:33:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17416460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LordKaiserthe1st/pseuds/LordKaiserthe1st
Summary: Jack journeys to the shores of an abandoned beach town in search of four wise women whom he believes can aid him in his quest to return to his home time.





	Jack and the Fountain of Tears

Little remained of the road laid out before the weary traveler. The pavement, or at least what had remained of it, seemed to have long since succumbed to the decay of time and disuse. What remained of this thin stretch was littered with all manner of cracks and fissures filled with branching roots and moss. The hard clanking noise of his wooden geta striking the remnants of hard pavement met with the crunch of lush vegetation. In the distance, he could just faintly hear the sound of ocean waves crashing against the shore.

Out here, these sounds were the only ones he could hear for miles. His journey had taken him far across the globe, led by rumors of wise women of great magical power in this empty land. Upon reaching the top of a hill, he could just spot what looked to be a town in the distance and with it, hopefully, an inn to acquire some much needed food and rest.

His stomach growled in anticipation at the mere thought of food, he had journeyed so long, and this place had so far been so empty that he had gone hungry for days. He tried not to get his hopes up, but all the same he still felt his pace quicken to reach his destination. 

Once he had arrived, to his disappointment, he was greeted by a sight that had become all too familiar to him, more decay and ruination. Crumbling man-made structures overtaken by wild vines and thick overgrowth. Whatever this place is, or at least what it was, had long since been forsaken by its inhabitants.

From what he could surmise, it looked to be a simple coastal town. Small one story buildings that would have perhaps housed all manner of business made to attract tourists during the busiest parts of the year. But now, they laid before him desiccated and seemingly forgotten.

It was a sight he had been growing numb to in his travels. Too often he would find evidence of life being snuffed out with its remnants fading away, as though the whole world around him was dying.

His stomach growled once more. He shivered a bit as the wind began to pick up, his gi proving to be of little help in staving off the cold. The sky above appeared to be overcast. Dark, heavy clouds loomed over his head with the promise of torrents of rain. It seemed he would need to search for his own food and shelter. With a disappointed sigh, he began to scrounge through the rubble for a piece of scrap wood he could use to craft a skewer with using his sword.

Though he doesn’t find much in the water, it’s enough to keep the hunger at bay, and the rain water could prove useful if collected to make tea with to keep him warm. Now all that was left was to find shelter.

He considered perhaps staying within one the buildings along the coast, but decided against it. Each structure’s roof had long collapsed in on themselves from either disrepair or simple weathering. Their floors each now sporting a thick carpet of moss and vegetation. There appeared to be a lighthouse upon the hill beside the town, but if any pursuers would be looking for him, that would most certainly be the first place to search, and he could not afford to lose any much needed rest. 

As he searched along the beach, it seemed lady luck had finally smiled down upon him. At the foot the hill and facing out towards the open ocean stood the mouth of a large cave. Within looked to be glittering crystalline structures that shined even in the dull, gray sunlight above. A slightly elevated platform stood exposed in the center of the room. On the opposite side of the entrance stood an ornate door with a five pointed star adorned on the front, each point curiously shown a differently colored circle.

‘Could this be what I have been searching for?’ he wondered. This place had apparently been secluded from the rest of the town, if the shambled remains of the fence close to the entrance was of any indication. 

Whether it was or not, for the time being, it would have to act as his temporary sanctuary. Once he had set up camp, the cave soon echoed with the sound of a roaring fire, the fish he had caught roasting over a makeshift spit. With fresh food in his belly, he settled down for a night’s rest, the sounds of the crackling fire and turbulent sea waters lulling him to sleep.

Just outside the mouth of the cave, he could just faintly hear the sound of shifting sand. Taking no chances, he sprung to his feet, unsheathing his sword to assume a defensive stance. He scanned the open space laid out before him. Though he saw no one present, the subtle noises still persisted.

Slowly, he crept outside, following the sound through the sandy beach. It did not take long before he could spot a faint lump in the sand that he could just barely see move. Quickly, he lunged forward, reaching his hand into the sand to pluck his stalker out from the ground.

To his surprise, what he had pulled out appeared to be a child. What looked to be a girl with purple skin and short hair. A small, hexagonal-cut jewel could be plainly seen on her chest as she struggled to free herself from his grasp. “Hey! Lemme go!” she cried out, furiously kicking her legs in midair.

From behind, he could hear the sound of several objects swiftly hurdling towards the ground like a volley of arrows. Without losing grip of the stranger, he somersaulted backwards into the cave once more. Outside, he could see the beach become pelted with a rain of spears that stabbed into the sandy shore.

Finally, a new figure dropped to the ground, sword in hand. As it stepped into the ambient glow of the cave, he could see her with greater clarity. It appeared to be a tall, thin woman with straight, peach colored short hair. Like the child, he could easily spot a large jewel adorned on her forehead. But there were no metal fittings, no strings, it appeared as though it was in actuality a part of her. Her stance and style of dress were reminiscent more of a dancer than any fighter, but her gaze possessed a precision that could not be mistaken.

He adjusted his stance, raising his sword to meet hers. Without notice, the child he held reached to bite his arm before her body began to glow, her form shifting to that of a snake before slithering up his arm and around his eyes.

He tugged and pulled as hard as he could to free himself, but to no avail. Already, he could hear the sound of the woman’s sword slice through the open air and past him as she tried to strike. He focused on the delicate noises. The gentle pat of her footsteps, the sound her blade whizzing past his face. 

Soon, he managed to lock his target, her next attack immediately greeted with a parry from his own sword. It did not take long to deduce his assailant’s manner of attack. Though robbed of his sight, he deflected each thrust struck against him, a metallic clang sounding off as their blades met. 

“Amethyst, he’s not slowing down!” the woman hollered. He paced himself, trying to find the right moment to make his move. Finally, he heard the sound of his assailant’s sword swipe towards his face, he dodged, making sure to leave his attacker’s accomplice just within range of her blade.

In one quick motion, his vision was restored and his blindfold fell to the ground, her body glowing once more to its previous form, “Ow! Pearl, that hurt!” she pouted, her mannerisms matching her child-like form.

“Oh dear, sorry!” The woman quickly responded. In her moment of distraction, he pushed forward. Though he was determined to keep her on the defensive, he quickly realized it was a task easier said than done. 

His foe struck with blinding speed, her arm often appearing as little more than a haze as she let loose a flurry of attacks that nearly sent him tumbling backwards. From the corner of his eye, he could faintly make out the distorted image of another weapon, one of the spears from before that littered the beach. Soon one spear became two, then three, then several.

Before he knew it, he found himself run ragged from the task of protecting himself from the combined attacks of an entire arsenal. With some quick thinking, he managed to gain just a bit of distance, the source of his problem made obvious. Where once stood countless spears littered across the ground now stood a small army of warriors, each nearly identical to the swordswoman, but unlike her, their bodies were a translucent shade of light blue, appearing almost as specters to him.

He readied his blade, meticulously taking note of the position of each fighter that surrounded him. They lunged, he responded by first attacking an opening to their left, his combatant’s form slicing in half diagonally before disappearing in a few sparkles of light. For each one that followed, it was like a row of dominoes. Each new attack forcing him to look for an angle of exposure previously unseen as he was attacked from all around. 

Some had gotten lucky, shredding parts of his gi. One attempting to strike for the head and only succeeding in undoing his topknot, causing his hair to droop down passed his shoulders and whip past his face each time he turned his head.

Finally, it had seemed he had successfully fought his way back to the original swordswoman, her weapon and eyes squarely trained on him as she charged ahead. This time, he was ready for her. He ducked down, allowing her momentum to force her to tumble over his back and towards the ground.

He stood up, taking a deep breath as he sheathed his sword, “If we are quite done…” his sentence became cut short by a surprise uppercut to the jaw. He staggered back, his vision doubling before he was met with another blow. The force knocking him face first into the sand. Rather than try to scramble to his feet, he listened and waited. He could hear his latest attacker take a few steps forwards, nearly standing directly above him.

Swiftly, he caught her feet with his legs, throwing off her footing before unsheathing his blade once more. He struck, his attack caught between the stranger’s palms. This one was new, a tall woman with an athletic build, her hair in a squared shape afro while her eyes were obstructed by a visor.

This new assailant was quick to demonstrate her physical superiority, wrenching his sword free from his grasp and tossing it to the side before her hands started to glow, a set of large gauntlets materializing. 

He wasn’t sure how much more of a beating he could take. Already he could feel his body run sore all over, but he elected to push on. Her combatant’s attempts to land a punch blocked and evaded all the while he tried to fight to gain some distance and formulate a counter strategy.

It seemed luck had favored him. From just within reach he heard the hard metallic clank of one of the swordswoman’s spears against his sandals. In an instant, he tossed the spear to his grasp with his foot and parried another strike. He leveled his weapon towards his opponent, anticipating her next move.

Their exchange became a constant back and forth, though she was stronger, he was faster. For a while, neither seemed to show signs of gaining the upper hand. While he tried to capitalize on his superior reach, any attempt at a strike would be preemptively swatted away as though she knew when to expect them.

Finally, he had managed to catch her off guard feigning a jab before sweeping her off her feet. He leveled the point of the spear towards her face, both clearly exhausted from the entire ordeal. “Enough!” he protested, “This pointless conflict comes to an end. If you are not one of Aku’s minions, then I am not you enemy!”

Even through the cover of her visor, he could feel her eyes glare back at his. She nodded, brushing sand off her legs before looking just over her shoulder, “It’s over, stand down Opal.”

Curious, he looked over his shoulder. Before him stood a different figure, easily twice his height with a bow and arrow in her four hands, the drawstring pulled back as if in preparation of another altercation.

He looked to where his sword lay, trying to judge whether he could reach it before she could release her arrow, but decided against causing anymore needless violence. He knelt down to his knees, giving a bow of respect, “Please, I did not mean to intrude upon your home. I do sincerely apologize.”

The mysterious woman raised an eyebrow before finally taking a sigh of relief. Her body glowing until finally she disappeared altogether. In her place, the child and swordswoman appeared, the former nervously approaching him.

“Hey… sorry we kinda lost it. We don’t get a lot of visitors anymore.” She stated timidly. She continued to hold her head low as she followed him while he retrieved his sword. He sighed and smiled, “It is alright. You were only defending your home. I can understand that, you and the others are talented warriors.”

She smiled, heartened by his words, “Hey, thanks. Um, I’m Amethyst by the way. Like, the coolest one here ‘sides maybe Garnet.” She joked, whiping her hair back. “What’s yer name?”

“They call me ‘Jack’.”

Even with this temporary truce called, he could tell the others were still weary, Amethyst standing out as the only one to have warmed up to his presence, making sure to introduce the others to him to their annoyance. Though they seemed to harbor no lasting resentment towards him, Jack could easily sense an air of discomfort that seemed to linger throughout the room.

To try and ease any remaining tensions, he shared with them his story. He came here with the rumor that four wise women who knew of strange foreign magic that could aid in his quest to return to his proper point in time. 

“Time travel?” Pearl questioned, as though the mere mention of the act were ludicrous, “I’m not entirely sure we know of any way to send you through time, Garnet?”

“Rose might have known of a way.” Garnet pondered, “But…” the others around him grew silent. From what Jack could see, it looked as though they were in mourning, “I am sorry for your loss, I did not mean to-”

“No, she’s not… gone.” Pearl corrected, “She, well, I suppose it’ll make more sense if I start from the beginning. You most likely saw that town not far from the Temple.” Jack nodded.

“Rose… well, she was always very open with humans. She always tried to see the best in people. Every so often she would come to greet new arrivals. Sometimes to enjoy the sights, most seeking her out for her ability to heal.”

“Your friend practiced medicine?” Jack asked.

“In a sense, she…” Pearl paused, as though the burden of mentioning her became too difficult to bear, “Rose felt true, genuine love for those around her. That love would manifest itself in healing tears she would gift to those who traveled from afar. Many from lands Aku’s forces had ravaged.” 

“We got to meet all kinds of people!” Amethyst exclaimed, “But then one day… this guy came. He seemed pretty nice. Decided he wanted to stay and after a while, he and Rose got pretty close.” Her jovial tone shifted to one much more ominous, “But he did something to her. We know he did! He disappeared right when it happened, and she just… wasn’t the same.”

“One day… Rose just… lost it. They never stood a chance…” Pearl’s mere act of recounting the events seemed to summon forth a flurry of emotions, “I know she’d never do something so heinous, it was as if she were possessed.”

Something of their tale seemed to resonate with Jack. He seemed to sense a familiarity to their tale in relation to ones of his travels. Curious, he questioned further, “This man, what did he look like?”

Amethyst scratched her chin in contemplation, “He was really tall, black hair, green skin. He wore mostly black.”

Could it be? Perhaps, but still he wanted to be certain. If there was a chance that he knew the culprit to their plight, the better the chance there was to helping them, “What did he say his name was?”

“He never did give us a proper name…” Pearl pondered, “But he did mention to Rose that he had a daughter. I believe her name was… Ikra?”

Jack’s ears burned with the mention of that horrid name. He knew who was responsible, in hindsight, it was of no surprise. “Aku…” he growled, clenching his fist in righteous fury.

“Aku did this to Rose!?” Pearl squawked in shock. Amethyst snarled, “Oh, ho, ho. When I get my hands on him, I’m gonna-”

“You won’t do anything.” Garnet interjected, “Aku is evil incarnate, there doesn’t exist a power in this universe that can challenge him.”

“Wrong.” The three looked to Jack, confused by his statement. “My sword, it was forged by the Ancient Gods that battled the primordial evil Aku spawned from. It is made from the purity and strength of the human spirit. It can perhaps destroy this evil that has consumed your loved one.” Jack explained.

“If you can help us free Rose, we’ll help you with your quest in any way we can.” Garnet affirmed.

“If Aku is in control of her, then we need to find where she is to avoid bringing about more pointless destruction.” Jack reasoned.

“You’re in luck.” Pearl stated, “We’ve been making sure to keep her secluded near her fountain.”

With that, it was settled, Garnet elected to remain at the temple to stand guard while Pearl would help be his guide. Before leaving, he felt something tug at his gi. He looked down to see Amethyst with a worried look on her face “Jack…” she said, her voice dripping with anxiety as she picked the tips of her fingers.

“Is something the matter?”

“You said your sword can kill the thing that’s got Rose, right?” Jack nodded, “You’re not gonna…” She struggled to finish her question, but Jack already knew what she wanted to ask. He could see it in her eyes, the sense of impending dread that seemed to haunt her, perhaps he didn’t know to look for it before or she simply tried to hide it from him. A look that seemed to take him back to a time in his life marked with fire and tears. He knelt down to meet her at eye level, “I promise you, I will not end her life.” Without another word, she rushed forward into a bear hug, “Please bring her back…” 

In moments, the two became surrounded in a flash of light, all manner of colors glistened and sparkled as Jack became overcome by the sensation of weightlessness. Beside him, Pearl appeared completely stationary, her usually tense demeanor abruptly cut short as she tried to suppress a giggle at Jack’s expense.

At last, the light dissipated. The sudden return of gravity forcing Jack to quickly smack the ground. He picked himself up and rubbed his bruised head as he looked to inspect his new surroundings. Dry, cracked dirt paths laid before him met with tangled messes of black, thorny hedges. It looked to Jack that perhaps at one point this place could have housed all manner of life. But now, all around him echoed the same tale of rot and neglect of a place that once housed beauty now reduced to a ghost of its former self. 

What struck him most was the near total silence. No birds chirped in the skies above, no wind to greet them. It seemed that all around was completely absent of any sign of what once was. Out in the distance, he could ever so faintly hear the sound of running water, the source perhaps from the fountain Pearl had spoken of.  
He gripped his sword, the sound of his geta striking the parched ground below echoing in his ears. “We’ll need to stick together.” Pearl whispered, her eyes nervously scanning the area around them, “She could be anywhere…”

“Are you… sure her fountain is intact?” Jack questioned. Pearl nodded, her expression showing she was still uncertain. “It…it has to be.” 

Jack kept his sword at the ready as Pearl gripped her spear close to her body, her hands shaking the entire trek. Every noise they heard stood out to them. The rustling of a thorn bush, the faint laughter of a lost shade that had come to haunt this cursed place. Pearl looked to Jack, shocked to hear the voice of another still lingering among the death and disrepair that seemed to suffocate them so. It was no surprise that where Aku would wreak pain and devastation, all manner of lesser evil would arrive to feed from his carnage.

As they made it through the hollow remains of her garden, they finally arrived to the entrance to Rose’s fountain. They soon discovered that the way had been blocked off. Thick bristles of prickly vines crisscrossed each other into a most treacherous barrier. Jack unsheathed his blade, swiping away at the overgrowth. 

From behind, he could just barely hear the sound of footsteps fast approaching him. He whirled around, finding no cause for the mysterious noise. “What are you doing?” Pearl asked anxiously. “Do you not hear it?” Pearl only shook her head, “We need to hurry if we don’t want to get caught.”

Carefully, they worked to remove the rest of the remaining vegetation until finally they could move onward. In the back of his mind, he could feel his nerves begin to twitch as he listened to hear more. And yet, nothing. He knew something was here with them, he simply didn’t know where exactly they could have been. As he looked, he could swear the shadows and pockets of shade all around them seemed to dance. It was almost in some effort to mock him. To force him to question his own instincts. He could already feel his thumb slowly guide his sword free for its wooden scabbard.  
He looked out towards the expanse behind them, expecting anything to be waiting for them in the distance. Knowing Aku, he would be doing this on purpose in some effort to scare others off.  
But he had to press onward, not only in the hopes of fulfilling his quest, but for the sake of this innocent life. No one deserved to suffer from such a sickness that would affect not just the mind and body, but the spirit as well.

Finally, they had made it. Before Jack stood a gigantic, ornate water fountain that easily towered over him and rivaled similar feats of architecture with its wonder. A single ray of sunlight beamed from above, illuminating a lone statue that stood at the center. The figure seemed to be of a tall and stout woman with large, curly hair. Her arms outstretched to her sides in such a manner to seem inviting to any who would have journeyed to her spring. Along each side of the fountain sat four similar statues virtually untouched by the rampant vegetative growth that dared to consume all around it. Water cascaded from the top statue’s eyes and glittered in the sun’s radiance as it trickled to the pool below.

“I don’t understand.” Pearl pondered, “Why would she leave the fountain like this?”

“A reminder of what once was here. So that any who see it will fear Aku’s wrath.” Jack stated. Pearl sighed, gazing upon the splendor of the fountain. “When we first came to Earth, we were taken aback by its beauty. This was before Aku, mind you…”

“You’ve all been here before Aku?” Jack exclaimed in shock. Pearl nodded, “This place… Rose was just beside herself by Aku’s rise to power, she wanted so desperately to have this place be a safe haven for those suffering under him, perhaps even be a reminder of why she had fallen in love with this place to begin with.”

From the corner of his eye, Jack quickly spotted an amorphous shape moving in the water beneath them. From what little light there was, he struggled to spot where it had gone to. He turned to Pearl. She seemed ill at ease as she readied herself as best as she could, and he couldn’t blame her. From the way they had all spoken of her, this person seemed to be very close to them all. 

But as she turned her gaze to the water below, her expression became more resolute. The jewel upon her head glowed, a spear shooting forth before falling precisely into her grasp. 

They waited, arms at the ready for whatever was awaiting them in the water. The mass moved once more, slowly floating its way to the two of them as small bubbles began to rise to the surface. As it arose from beneath its watery veil, they were met with a face Jack was all too familiar with.

Already, he could discern notable differences that he theorized had stemmed from his host. Black horn-like protrusions jutted from his head while behind them bellowed a great mass of fiery hair that blazed out in all directions like a swirling inferno. Plump lips obscured the wickedly curved fangs that jutted outwards from his mouth in a grotesque grin.

But amongst the black nothingness that seemed to consume his new feminine form stood a single spot of pink placed at his navel. From what Jack could discern, it looked to be a jewel sporting a pentagonal cut upon its surface, confirming the identity of who was under Aku’s control. A quarter of her face as well seemed to remain, still yet hinting to Jack an idea of who this once was. The open spot revealed pale white skin and a single eye. Like the statue above, tears seemed to stream endlessly from her eye as she gave him and Pearl a look of utter terror.

As its gaze moved to Pearl, the free eye closed shut as if in anticipation of the horror she knew would follow as the rest of her seemed to almost relax. Confidant that she would not defend herself. Pearl, too stunned by the sight of it, could hardly bring herself to fight back. Her hands trembling as they struggled to retain their grip upon her spear. It grinned a wicked grin. “My Pearl…” it cooed with a voice like thunder, “I have been so very lonely here. Why ever did you keep me trapped here? Do you not love me anymore?” 

Pearl appeared as though she couldn’t look away, her eyes fixed squarely upon him. She struggled to levy her spear towards him, “R-Rose.” She said, “Please, let us help you. You’re not well!” 

“Your control over this innocent ends now, Aku!” Jack exclaimed. Aku snapped his gaze to him, his fiendish grin melting to a scowl and then panic at the sight of his sword.

Before he could react, Aku launched his assault. Jack struggled to mount some form of defense but quickly became overwhelmed by the relentless barrage of sharpened appendages that grew from Aku’s form. His gi became swiftly torn to ribbons as large red scars littered his body. 

The force of Aku’s attack hurled Jack across the room, his body tumbling like a ragdoll along the floor. He fought the sensation of pain and pushed on, gritting his teeth and grasping his sword in his hand.

With a battle cry in his throat, he launch his counter attack. Aku responded, raising his arm towards him. Before Jack’s sword could make contact with him, a pink, transparent shield materialized as though by magic to protect him. Vines spiraled around the center marked with the image of a rose appeared etched along its surface. 

The force of his blow reverberated all around Aku and pushed Jack away once more. He scrambled to regain his footing, all while Aku looked to him like a predator cornering its prey. 

“FOOLISH SAMURAI!” he cackled, “NORMALLY YOUR SWORD WOULD HAVE INDEED SPELLED DOOM FOR ME, BUT NOW I CONTROL A BEING WHOSE GIFTS OF HEALING AND PROTECTION GRANT ME IMMUNITY TO THAT ACCURSED BLADE’S MAGIC. NOW TRULY NO FORCE CAN HARM ME!”

Jack’s ears burned from the sound of Aku’s uproarious guffaws. He was now truly at a loss of what he could do. There had been few times in his travels where he had encountered a weapon, material or even an individual that his sword could not overpower. And fewer times still where he had been provided a means by which to slip past such defenses. But this shield was certainly one his most vexing obstacles to date. However, though it would be difficult, he knew it would not be impossible.

From behind, Pearl took hold of Jack’s arm and began to sprint for the exit, “Jack, we need to go!” she cried. “You are just going to leave one of your own like this?” Jack protested, gesturing towards their pursuer.

“You saw for yourself, your sword can’t go through Rose’s shield!” Pearl replied, “I should have said something from the start, we can’t fight Rose!”  
“Enough!” Jack snapped, freeing his grasp from her, “Whoever she was, this is not her. She has been corrupted by Aku’s wickedness. I know we still have a chance to free her. As her friend, would you not want to do everything in your power to help her?”

Pearl stammered, “I…” she tried to say, her words cut short by Aku’s arrival. Jack raised his sword for an attack before having it knocked away by a shield. Aku hoisted Jack off the ground and threw him back down. The force sending another wave a pain that pulsated along his back while Aku pinned him down with his foot. Jack could hear the sound of his ribs crack from the force Aku exuded. “I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS DAY FOR SOME TIME, SAMURAI!” he said gleefully, “I SHALL ENJOY SAVORING YOUR SLOW DEMISE AT MY HAND.”

He tried to ignore the pain. To deny Aku any satisfaction from his defeat, even the faintest whisper would have been like music to him right at this very moment. Already, he could feel his consciousness slip back and forth, his vision fading in and out. He couldn’t surrender, not now, not while Aku loomed over him both physically and in spirit. But the more he tried to fight, the harder it seemed to resist the urge to let go and slip away.

Just as everything was about to fade to black, he heard Aku cry in pain and shock. He looked to spot a deep gash in Aku’s shoulder, his sword having landed blade first by his side. He could hear the sound of blade against blade in front of him. He lifted his head and grunted in pain seeing before him a small crowd of fighters swarming Aku from all fronts.  
Jack recognized these warriors. These were the spectral fighters Pearl had created in her fight against him. And now they were busy battling Aku assumedly so that he may have a chance to land a finishing strike.

“Jack!” Pearl cried, helping him to his feet, “You were right. I shouldn’t just give up on her, if you have a plan to undo what that… thing did to her, I am more than willing to help you!”  
Jack looked on, trying to plan a course of action. He watched as Pearl’s soldiers fought on, each one robbing his attention as they advanced towards him. Where one would attack, he would react only for another to flank and target each opening that came to him.

“Aku is powerful, but easy to distract.” Jack surmised, “We will need to fight together, I have a plan…”

Aku growled in frustration as he fought through the masses that seemed to swarm him like a plague of locusts. Their efforts, though not dangerous to him, certainly proved to be annoying. Suddenly from behind, he felt a sharp pain through his back that seemed to radiate throughout the rest of his body. He wailed in agony and looked all around him, spotting Jack before he dashed towards him once more. 

He raised another shield to his defense, only to be met with another blow from behind. Aku whirled around spotting Jack once more, moving as though he were a blur before unleashing a barrage of attacks. Frustrated, Aku raised another shield in the hopes that doubling his protection would assure his safety, only to be met by the same familiar burning sensation he had grew to know and hate whenever he was cut down by Jack’s sacred blade.

This continued on, Jack darting in and out of view before Aku would be attacked from behind. He could already begin to feel his influence over his host begin to slip until eventually he was brought to his knees. “HOW!? HOW ARE YOU DOING THIS!?” he hollered in confusion.

Jack grinned, holding his sword out to Aku, who gasped in shock. In his efforts to thwart Jack’s attacks, he failed to notice his weapon, assuming he would already be wielding his own blade. But the blade to this sword had already begun to melt and crumble away, as with all other mortal weapons used against him, the guard appeared completely different and the grip far too small for more than one hand to wield. This was not his sword.

“B-BUT, IF YOU DO NOT POSSES YOUR SWORD, WHERE IS IT!?” Aku cried out, “I DEMAND TO KNOW!” Jack only smiled, and pointed up. Aku looked behind him, spotting Pearl descending down upon him, Jack’s sword in her hands. And with one fell swoop, his very essence burned and faded away into nothing. All that was left of Rose dispersed into a puff of smoke. Jack could hear the sound of something fragile hit the ground.

“Her gemstone!” Pearl blurted, rushing towards the source of the noise. As Pearl reappeared, she had her hands firmly clasped around something small and pink, while she ran towards the fountain. She dropped the object into the pool, closely watching it sink the bottom. Jack limped beside her, curious to see what would follow.  
From below, a shimmering pink light began to glow until it illuminated the entirety of the pool. Finally a new figure emerged, springing forth from the water. Her likeness almost exactly like that of the statues that decorated the fountain she currently occupied. She looked first at herself in surprise and then all around her before turning to face the two of them, “Pearl…” she said, her voice trembling, “You… you saved me...”

“With some help.” Pearl countered, Rose’s focus moved to Jack. He bowed, wincing at the pain in his chest as he did so. If anything, he was determined to retain his manners and decency no matter what state his body was in, “It is a pleasure to meet you.” He said as he straightened his posture. The pain forcing him to lean to his side while he held is abdomen, “You should be free now from Aku’s influence.”

Rose gave a gentle smile in return, helping Jack to his feet, “Thank you.” She said before kissing his cheek. Though he was certainly alarmed and flustered by the display of gratitude, he was more dismayed by what followed. It felt as though the pain that burdened him before seemed to simply melt away. He looked down, scars along his back and chest closing shut as he heard his bones pop back into place and reinforce from their cracks and fractures. In an instant, his ailments had completely dispersed.

With his mission a success, Rose stated that she owed him a great debt in return. Unfortunately, she had admitted that she had no means of allowing Jack to travel through time, at least not safely. And so it seemed that Jack would need to leave to journey ever onward in the hopes of finding a way back home. Rose, however, offered to repay him instead with the full hospitality she and the others had to offer so that he would not need to leave cold and hungry. With more than a little convincing, Jack obliged. But although his stay was nothing short of pleasant, he knew he would soon need to depart.

After two days, he gathered his supplies, ready as ever to return to his crusade against evil. “Are you sure won’t stay at least one more day?” Amethyst pleaded, “I can see you like it here. You can even have my room! I’ll move my stuff!”

Jack sighed, “Your kindness is much appreciated, my friend. But there are many like you and I who are also suffering under Aku’s evil as we speak, it is my duty to end his oppression.”  
Though she looked troubled, she wiped her eyes and nodded. She turned to leave before stopping and rushing in for one last hug, “Don’t take forever to come back, okay? I know humans don’t last too long…”

“Very well…” Jack said with a smile. As Amethyst gave her last goodbye, Rose approached, “Jack, I truly cannot thank you enough for all the good that you’ve done for us.” 

“Your safety and happiness is all the payment I need.” Jack reassured. Rose smiled, leaving Jack one last kiss to his cheek, “Remember that you always have a place here… with us…” 

Pearl cleared her throat behind them, “Yes, well, I wish you luck in your travels, Jack.” Pearl stated directly, “I’m sure there are yet many mystical relics in need of searching that would help to accomplish your goals!”

“Jack.” Garnet said, “I may not precisely know the future, but I am able to see all manner of possibilities. You will see the end of your quest. It will, however, come at a great cost.”

“No price is too high for me to pay to ensure my return to my proper place in time.” Jack stated.

“… We’ll see…” Garnet said cryptically, her visor seemingly glimmering in the light.

With that, Jack said his goodbyes and departed. As he came to the top of the hill overlooking the beach once more, he stopped. Wanting to catch one last glimpse of the beautiful scene before him before continuing his travels once more. Vowing one day, he would indeed return to the past, and undo the evil that is Aku.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is something of a tribute to Thuktun Flishithy's Samurai Jack/Steven Universe crossover fic 'Roses and Ladybugs' over on the Spacebattle forums. These are basically my two favorite shows and I loved his fic, so I decided to try my hand at it for myself. Feel free to comment, feedback is always appreciated!


End file.
